CACFP Reimbursement Rates for 2026–27

The current CACFP center reimbursement rates took effect July 1, 2026 and run through June 30, 2027. For a child care center in the contiguous United States, the per-meal rates are $2.54 for a free breakfast, $4.76 for a free lunch or supper, and $1.30 for a free snack. Every lunch and supper also carries a 32-cent cash-in-lieu-of-USDA-Foods payment on top of those rates.

This guide covers the current rates, the rules that affect what a center can claim, and the budgeting context behind the rate sheet. For how to record and reconcile the reimbursement, see CACFP bookkeeping: claims, receivables, and reconciliation.

What are the CACFP reimbursement rates for 2026–27?

The rates below were set by the Federal Register notice published July 27, 2026, “Child and Adult Care Food Program: National Average Payment Rates for the Period July 1, 2026, Through June 30, 2027.” They apply to child care centers, outside-school-hours care centers, at-risk afterschool care centers, and adult day care centers.

Center reimbursement rates per meal

Last verified: August 25, 2026

Lunch and supper reimbursements include an additional $0.32 cash-in-lieu-of-USDA-Foods payment in every region. That amount is set in a separate Federal Register notice and is paid on top of the listed lunch or supper rate.

Source: Federal Register notice 2026-15071, published July 27, 2026. Cash-in-lieu: Federal Register notice 2026-14123, published July 14, 2026. Verify the schedule that applies to your center with your state agency or CACFP sponsor before budgeting.

Which rate year is this?

CACFP rates run from July through June, not by calendar year. The table above covers July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. A chart dated before July 2026 reflects the previous rate year.

For centers in the contiguous states, the current year increased breakfast rates by 8 cents for free and reduced-price meals and 2 cents for paid meals. Lunch and supper increased 16 cents, 16 cents, and 1 cent respectively. Snack increased 4 cents, 2 cents, and 1 cent.

Do these rates apply to your program?

If you operate a licensed child care center, reimbursement is based on each child’s free, reduced-price, or paid eligibility category. The Tier I and Tier II figures found online are for family day care homes, which use a separate reimbursement structure.

The three center categories are tied to household income eligibility. A child at or below 130% of the federal poverty level qualifies as free; at or below 185% qualifies as reduced-price; above 185% is paid. Your sponsor or state agency uses the applications on file at your center to assign the category.

States can calculate a center’s reimbursement from actual meal counts by category or from claiming percentages derived from enrollment data. If you do not know which method your state uses, ask your sponsor or state agency. The answer changes the records you need to keep with each claim.

CACFP reimbursement should also remain distinct from a state’s child care subsidy program. CACFP pays for meals served; subsidy programs generally pay for care under their own schedules and rules.

How many meals can a center claim?

A center may claim no more than two meals and one snack, or one meal and two snacks, per child per day. Only meal types listed on the center’s approved CACFP application may be claimed.

For-profit centers have an additional monthly eligibility test. If fewer than 25% of children in care are eligible for free or reduced-price meals or are Title XX beneficiaries, the center cannot claim CACFP reimbursement for that month. At-risk afterschool participants are excluded from the calculation.

What does the reimbursement cover?

The reimbursement does not represent the full cost of serving a meal. USDA’s SNACS-II study reported mean total costs across early child care programs of $8.80 for breakfast, $9.70 for lunch, and $6.30 for a snack for program year 2022–23. The highest contiguous-state center reimbursement before cash-in-lieu is $2.54 for a free breakfast and $4.76 for a free lunch.

Labor made up 67% to 81% of those meal costs. The study also found that reimbursement covered 26.0% of breakfast costs, 35.3% of lunch costs, and 20.9% of snack costs across the programs studied. Those figures included a temporary 10-cent supplement that has since lapsed, so they should be used as context rather than a current reimbursement forecast.

What is a full-day chair worth?

A child attending for breakfast, lunch, and snack is worth $8.60 per service day at the contiguous-state free rate, $7.25 at reduced-price, and 99 cents at paid, before cash-in-lieu. The eligibility mix, not enrollment alone, drives the result.

For a 48-chair center with 30 free-eligible children, 6 reduced-price children, and 12 paid children attending full days, that works out to:

• 30 free children at $8.60: $258.00 per service day
• 6 reduced-price children at $7.25: $43.50 per service day
• 12 paid children at $0.99: $11.88 per service day

That is $313.38 per day, or roughly $6,600 over 21 service days before cash-in-lieu. The result is sensitive to the eligibility roster, the number of meals served, and actual daily attendance.

Before you update the budget

1. Confirm that your state agency and claims software have loaded the current schedule.
2. Use actual average daily attendance rather than licensed capacity. Reimbursement follows meals served.
3. Review the eligibility roster and the expiry dates on income eligibility forms.
4. If meals are vended, compare the current contract cost with the updated rates.

The rate schedule is only one part of the work. The other is keeping the meal counts, claim, receivable, deposit, and supporting records connected. The companion bookkeeping guide covers that operating side.

A note on this article. This information is general guidance, not tax, legal, or accounting advice. Program mechanics, claim deadlines, and payment models vary by state. Verify the details that apply to your center with your state agency or CACFP sponsor.